With a 16 year old and 13 year old, the only thing I do for empty nest syndrome is pray for it.
I’m watching three of my grandchildren leave their childhoods behind. They are 16, 13 and almost 12. I’m going to miss the role of babysitter and chief indulger.
But I ain’t dead yet and just need to shift gears. So I’ve set some new goals for my sixties. I’m going to travel to “far away places with strange sounding names.” My husband doesn’t fly, so I will go on my own – no tour groups. I want to absorb – not just see.. So my new role is “independent me.”
Biggirl, choose another role for yourself. Make a list of things that bring you pleasure and find a way to indulge yourself. You will still be Mom! One of the greatest gifts that you can give to them is to continue to find your own joy.
Zoe, my grandma hasn’t quit being indulgent, and I’m 27. You can spoil them in different ways. For example, the last time I went to visit her, she paid for a rental car. (This was ENTIRELY her idea!) This was good for me as well, since I now know how to go about doing that. But don’t rent a car in Seattle if you can help it, they have an insane 25% tax add-on!
You can do things that will annoy the heck out of their parents, too. My great-grandmother once gave my mom and her sister these truly hideous orange dresses with huge zippers down the front. (It WAS the 60’s.) She wanted them to be in style, regardless of whether the style in question was hideous. Compared to what they wore when SHE was in her early teens, I’m sure these dresses were! My understanding is that their father was not exactly thrilled with this, but he went along with it anyway. NOBODY argues with Grandmother!